Tucows launches Ting, a contract-free mobile service on Sprint's network

Harken back to the days of Windows 95, and you may remember downloading a few shareware titles to your Compaq or Packard Bell courtesy of Tucows and its network of mirror sites. While the company is no longer of much relevance in the software arena, it's recently launched a mobile service called Ting that operates on Sprint's network, and like many of its competitors (think Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile), no contract is needed. That's not to suggest everything is the same, however, as unlike other carriers, Ting offers to reimburse you for your unused voice, text and data allotments -- think of it as rollover to your wallet. Curious to know more? We've laid out and explained the full spread of Ting's phones and plans after the break.

As no contracts are required, subscribers must pay for their handsets outright. There are six smartphones total, beginning with the Zio ($105) and Optimus S ($155) on the low-end. Beyond that, shoppers will discover the Transform ($245) and Conquer 4G ($295) in the middle of the pack, all the way up to the EVO Shift 4GDetail ($395) and Photon 4G ($545). Each of the 4G-capable handsets may use Sprint's WiMAX network. Meanwhile, two feature phones are also in the mix, which include the Samsung Reclaim ($45) and the M360 ($65).

Naturally, the true savings comes with the plans, where customers may choose between six tiers for voice, data and text messages. While a voice plan isn't required (free), 100 minutes can be had for just $3, whereas a more reasonable 500 minutes can be scored for $9. SMS is treated similarly, as 100 messages costs just $3, while 4,000 can be found for merely $11. Unfortunately, data rates are less enticing. While 100MB can again be purchased for $3, 1GB costs $24 and 2GB costs a lofty $42. In the case of each, whenever you exceed your voice, data or text allotment, you'll be bumped into the next tier and then reimbursed for your unused portion. It's also worth noting that Ting doesn't charge additional fees for tethering or hotspot use -- this simply counts toward your data usage, as it should.

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Tucows Launches Ting - A New US Mobile Phone Service

Ting Promises "Mobile That Makes Sense"

TORONTO, Feb. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ - Tucows Inc. (NYSE AMEX: TCX, TSX:TC), a global Internet services company dedicated to making simple useful services that unlock the power of the Internet, today announced the launch of Ting, a mobile phone service dedicated to bringing clarity and control to US mobile phone customers.

Small businesses and families in the US are overpaying for mobile service and underserved by their mobile service providers. With Ting, Tucows seeks to offer a fresh alternative by emphasizing clarity, usability, a sincere commitment to customer support and significant monthly savings.

"What people are forced to put up with from mobile service providers just doesn't make sense. It's too complicated, too opaque, too adversarial, too expensive and frankly too inhuman," said Elliot Noss, CEO of Tucows. "We're changing that. Ting is a mobile service that makes sense."

Ting has a very different approach to pricing than the major providers. Minutes, messages and megabytes are each billed separately. If customers use less of any than they anticipated, they are credited at the end of the month. If they use more, they are simply billed the appropriate additional amount, without onerous penalties or premiums. Businesses and families can pool an unlimited number of phones and data devices on one Ting account, offering even greater savings over other providers' more limited sharing options.

People considering Ting are encouraged to instantly calculate how much they'll save with Ting by entering past bills from their current provider into the Ting Phone Savings Calculator on the Ting site (http://ting.com/calculator).

The site offers customers clear, visual snapshots of their usage throughout the month and a great deal of administrative control over usage and device features.

The customer support team boasts a "no hold policy" from 8am-8pm ET Monday through Friday and "geek support" from smart, passionate people that are empowered to solve problems.

Ting is now available to US businesses and families at Ting.com (http://ting.com).